THE RIGHT STUFF

As Hennessey targets the first two-way 300mph average for a production car, we visit the factory and sample the 2000+bhp Venom F5 Evolution

-  by RICHARD MEADEN

THE STORY OF HENNESSEY PERFORMANCE IS steeped in speed. It started with founder John Hennessey's early forays to Pikes Peak, Bonneville Speed Week and the Silver State Challenge in his self-built Mitsubishi 3000GT, quickly progressing to tuned Dodge Vipers that punched through the 200mph barrier and established the Hennessey brand as a force to be reckoned with.

Since then, a succession of outrageously powerful cars, trucks and SUVs has reinforced Hennessey's position as one of America's largest and most enduring tuning companies. As a brand synonymous with tyre-smoking, ultra-boosted muscle cars with names like Marvel characters - The Exorcist, VelociRaptor, Super Venom - Hennessey's portfolio embodies a gung-ho, more-is-more ethos that's unashamedly American and very hard to resist.

But there's another side to Hennessey. One that has gone beyond tuning other makers' cars and seen the company evolve into a hypercar maker with boundless ambition and a growing team of world-class talent.